Course Description

LAW 528 - Tribal Legal Systems

Students in this seminar will study the past and present legal systems of Native American tribal nations. There will be detailed examination of several different tribal systems, such as Navajo, Cherokee, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), and Hopi. Emphasis will be on the diversity of tribal legal regimes, comparisons with the Anglo-American legal system, changes in tribal systems during the period of contact with non-Indians, and the relationship between tribes' legal systems and other aspects of their cultures, such as religion and social structure. Students will undertake an independent research paper, focusing on a contemporary or historic topic.